A Change on the Horizon…

You can almost feel the cold weather from just looking at the painting. With the snow on the ground, and white specks of wintry mix falling in the distance, one almost wants to say “brrr.”

With rags wrapped around feet, heads bowed into the storm, and no two soldiers dressed a like the painting depicts winter 1777 for the American Continental Army. The title “The March to Valley Forge” also concocts images of the harshness of that winter during the American Revolution.

And in the middle of the picture, sits George Washington, astride his horse, staring at the marching soldiers in silent tribute. One of the soldiers is depicted doffing his cap at Washington. Respect, admiration, and solidarity of the joint struggle of the war, is present, by just examining the painting a little closer.

That is why this painting below, done by William Trego, a century and a few years after this march would have happened, is my favorite painting about the American Revolution.

The March to Valley Forge by William Trego, 1883

So much is there, so much to break down and study. The bleakness, the cold, the desperation that was mentioned above is combined with our hindsight knowledge that what the ultimate destiny these men are marching off the painting too.

Although Trego only won third place in 1883 with the painting when the Temple of Historical Paintings, in a competition for works of art on the American Revolutionary War, decided there was not a worthy first place painting, the work of art is still first-rate.

Yet, striving like Trego to that number one spot. Or like the soldiers in the painting marching to Valley Forge and what we all know was a turning point in the War for American Independence, there is a change coming here at Revolutionary War Wednesdays.

That change…..

Is due to the success of Revolutionary War Wednesday’s blog series and to our loyal readers like yourself. For that, we thank you for your readership and comments.

And so, starting later this month and following the mold of Emerging Civil War, we will be launching Emerging Revolutionary War, a blog dedicated to exploration of the Revolutionary War era. We invite you to save the following link, where the blog will reside: